"Aw, I love this part!" Taylor Fairchild squealed as her boyfriend Eric wrapped his arm around her. They were watching her favorite romance movie, P.S. I Love You.
Eric Beckett laughed, "What's so amazing about this part? He tricks the girl by saying there's a rabid Irish dog and then wraps his arms around her."
"I think it's cute," Taylor replied, "Besides, if that was a real rabid Irish dog, I'd want to have a big muscular guy wrap his arms around me to protect me."
"So I'm not good enough?"
She rolled her eyes and laughed, "Of course you are, silly. Can I not fantasize a little bit?"
"No, you aren't," Eric said, pushing her up into his lap, "I love you too much."
Taylor stared into her boyfriend's eyes and thought, My life is perfect. And it was. She had everything she ever wanted - a great boyfriend, a supportive mom who was making her name in the art world and having a relationship of her own with a guy who was just short of amazing, and everything else under the sun. She was happy, which was a lot to say after what went on in her life.
When she was a baby, her father was killed in war. Ever since then, her mom, Annelisse, worked two, maybe three jobs to keep food on the table for her and Taylor. It wasn't until a year and a half ago that her mom's hobby of painting started to pay off. They also had to make multiple moves. It was because, her mom would say, I would begin feeling like we were being watched or followed. The house they currently lived in was the last house on the street, and there was a patch of forest behind it. Sometimes Taylor would find her mother standing inside, looking out through the backyard window. She never knew what her mother would look at.
The hours passed, and before Eric and Taylor knew it, it was night time.
"Eric, your mom is outside," Annelisse said, walking into the living room, "She wants you home."
"I figured," Eric said to her, then to Taylor, "My brother's getting married next month. We have to get you a dress for that, sweetie. We're gonna go."
"Ok, I guess." Taylor replied. He kissed her goodnight and left the room with Annelisse, leaving Taylor to finish the movie by herself. The room suddenly filled with light, as a car's headlights passed by the window. It must be Eric's mom, she thought, getting up to look outside. They were turning the curve to go into the woods. The scene outside got dark again. Taylor opened the window to let in the cool summer night air. Just as she was turning around to turn off the TV, she heard rustling noises outside. Too loud to be a rabbit, but not big enough for a bear, she thought, and thought nothing of it.
She walked into the kitchen to find something to satisfy her sudden hunger. She stood standing at the fridge for a few minutes before deciding on something. Walking to the kitchen table, she heard a knock at the door. "I've got it!" She called to her mother, but was too late, as Annelisse bounded down the steps.
"Don't worry, dear, I've got it."
It was Nic Wolfe, Annelisse's best friend since high school. Normally he would come in with a happy expression at seeing Annelisse and her daughter, but tonight, his expression was different. Tonight he wore a grave look on his face, as if someone had died. They talked in hushed tones, and Taylor tried listening in.
"What? How did they not know it was gone?" Annelisse said, shocked.
"I'm not sure. But I overheard Parker and Elena talking and they think it was...well you know."
Annelisse's mouth dropped, "No! It can't be!" She replied in hushed surprise, "I thought he was--"
"We all did," Nic interrupted, "But he's not."
Annelisse's eyes widened, still in shock about whatever was going on. Nic, realizing Taylor was there, said "Taylor, dear, I think it'd be best if you went to bed early tonight. Your mom and I need to talk and it's.. um... important."
Now seeing that she was busted, Taylor walked over to the front hall, where Nic and Annelisse were having their conversation. "What's going on?"
"It's nothing that you need to worry about," Nic said, "Just stuff that concerns some of our.. uh.. friends."
"No it's not. You're hesitating."
"Taylor, sweetie," It was her mother's turn to speak, "Nic's right. We need to talk and it'd be best if you went upstairs, ok?"
Taylor sighed, "Whatever. Good seeing you too, Nic."
She trailed off upstairs as slowly as she could. She stopped in front of her door and listened in, right above Annelisse and Nic in the overhang. Now Annelisse was raising her voice a little, saying how she left some place a long time ago and how she wasn't going back, no matter how much they wanted her to. Well, this sounds like we're moving again, Taylor thought, just wonderful.
She walked into her room to find that her lights were off, her pitch black room only being lit by dim Christmas lights she used as a decoration all year round. She turned to shut the door behind her, now hearing Nic raising his voice at whatever they seemed to be arguing about. She placed her hand gingerly on the doorknob, listened for it to shut, and then heard a faint grumble. She looked up from the knob, jumping a foot in the air. Then came the rustling, like something was moving in her room. She was breathing faster, heavier. Slowly she turned around, making the rustlings seem to get louder. She crept closer to her table lamp, and the second she turned it on, she saw the figure in the chair in the corner of her room, making her scream.
The figure was a young man who looked to be about her age. Ruffled blonde hair fell over his bright green eyes, a yawn passing over his tired face. He crossed his muscular arms across his thin chest, "Well, I've gotten surprised reactions from girls before, but none like this."
Taylor grabbed the closest thing to her, which happened to be a hardback novel on her bed, "Who are you? Does my mom know you're here? How did you get in??"
He stood up and sighed, "I'm a Seeker. No, your mother doesn't know I'm here. And you don't need to know that."
"What are Seekers? And what do you want from me?" She demanded.
He spoke coolly, as if he was having a conversation with an old friend, "I'd be happy to tell you but I'd like to feel less threatened if I do." He motioned towards the book, "Just calm down, ok? It's not like I'm here to hurt you." Hesitantly, Taylor followed his directions. He smiled a bit, "There you go. Now have a seat, there's a lot you need to know."
She leaned up against her bedroom wall and sat down, just as the mysterious boy said to. He followed suit, sitting down across from her. "Now," he began, "I don't believe we've met properly. My name is Jace. Jace Starborn. I am a Seeker. And there are others like me who need your help."
"What are Seekers?"
"Demon hunters of the Second Dimension."
"Care to explain that?"
"Explain what? There's nothing to explain."
"The Second Dimension thing. Since when are there more than one?"
"Oh, that. Sorry, I forgot your people don't know. There are several Dimensions. You, my dear, are living in the First. I live in the Second."
"What's the difference?"
"The Second Dimension has only one difference from the first, and that's the Creatures of the Shadows."
Taylor laughed, "Ok, you don't mean those things that go bump in the night, right? Like werewolves and fairies and vampires and ghosts?"
"Actually, yes, I mean just those things," Jace said, matter-of-factly, "But ghosts are demons, fallen angels, if you will. They are hidden in the Shadows of the First Dimension, but only people with the Sight can see them. You, Taylor Fairchild, have this Sight."
Taylor stared at him. "How do you know my name?"
He turned to look at the clock on Taylor's wall and swore under his breath. "All of your questions and more will be answered in Morosa. Come now, Fairchild, time is of the essence," He said, getting up.
"Wait," she said, getting up as well, "Where?"
"The Second Dimension. You must come with me."
"I can't!" Taylor protested, "I don't even know what you're talking about!"
"You'll get more answers than what I can give you in Morosa."
"I'm not going."
"You don't understand--"
"Oh, I believe I do understand," Taylor interrupted, "You're trying to kidnap me."
Jace shook his head as if in disgust, but spoke patiently, "That's not it at all, but if kidnapping is needed, I was given instruction to take you by whatever means necessary."
"I don't want to hear it anymore!" Taylor shouted, backing away, "Get out of my house!"
"Fine," Jace grimaced, "Just know this, Fairchild. You are needed more than you know." He placed his hand on her shoulder, quickly removing it.
With that touch, she seemed to get woozy, suddenly tired. She rubbed her eyes.
Jace leaned in close to her. He spoke softly, but audibly enough to hear, "I will be back. Don't forget about what I said."
Taylor barely heard the end of his sentence. By then, she was asleep.
The next thing she remembered was the next morning. She woke up in her bed, in pajamas. She rubbed her eyes and looked outside her window - it was morning. It was as if her meeting with Jace was all a dream, like it never happened, but it had. She remembered it, as clearly as the sky outside, and she never remembered her dreams. It seemed too real...but, was it?
Chapter One - Seeker.
"Aw, I love this part!" Taylor Fairchild squealed as her boyfriend Eric wrapped his arm around her. They were watching her favorite romance movie, P.S. I Love You.
Eric Beckett laughed, "What's so amazing about this part? He tricks the girl by saying there's a rabid Irish dog and then wraps his arms around her."
"I think it's cute," Taylor replied, "Besides, if that was a real rabid Irish dog, I'd want to have a big muscular guy wrap his arms around me to protect me."
"So I'm not good enough?"
She rolled her eyes and laughed, "Of course you are, silly. Can I not fantasize a little bit?"
"No, you aren't," Eric said, pushing her up into his lap, "I love you too much."
Taylor stared into her boyfriend's eyes and thought, My life is perfect. And it was. She had everything she ever wanted - a great boyfriend, a supportive mom who was making her name in the art world and having a relationship of her own with a guy who was just short of amazing, and everything else under the sun. She was happy, which was a lot to say after what went on in her life.
When she was a baby, her father was killed in war. Ever since then, her mom, Annelisse, worked two, maybe three jobs to keep food on the table for her and Taylor. It wasn't until a year and a half ago that her mom's hobby of painting started to pay off. They also had to make multiple moves. It was because, her mom would say, I would begin feeling like we were being watched or followed. The house they currently lived in was the last house on the street, and there was a patch of forest behind it. Sometimes Taylor would find her mother standing inside, looking out through the backyard window. She never knew what her mother would look at.
The hours passed, and before Eric and Taylor knew it, it was night time.
"Eric, your mom is outside," Annelisse said, walking into the living room, "She wants you home."
"I figured," Eric said to her, then to Taylor, "My brother's getting married next month. We have to get you a dress for that, sweetie. We're gonna go."
"Ok, I guess." Taylor replied. He kissed her goodnight and left the room with Annelisse, leaving Taylor to finish the movie by herself. The room suddenly filled with light, as a car's headlights passed by the window. It must be Eric's mom, she thought, getting up to look outside. They were turning the curve to go into the woods. The scene outside got dark again. Taylor opened the window to let in the cool summer night air. Just as she was turning around to turn off the TV, she heard rustling noises outside. Too loud to be a rabbit, but not big enough for a bear, she thought, and thought nothing of it.
She walked into the kitchen to find something to satisfy her sudden hunger. She stood standing at the fridge for a few minutes before deciding on something. Walking to the kitchen table, she heard a knock at the door. "I've got it!" She called to her mother, but was too late, as Annelisse bounded down the steps.
"Don't worry, dear, I've got it."
It was Nic Wolfe, Annelisse's best friend since high school. Normally he would come in with a happy expression at seeing Annelisse and her daughter, but tonight, his expression was different. Tonight he wore a grave look on his face, as if someone had died. They talked in hushed tones, and Taylor tried listening in.
"What? How did they not know it was gone?" Annelisse said, shocked.
"I'm not sure. But I overheard Parker and Elena talking and they think it was...well you know."
Annelisse's mouth dropped, "No! It can't be!" She replied in hushed surprise, "I thought he was--"
"We all did," Nic interrupted, "But he's not."
Annelisse's eyes widened, still in shock about whatever was going on. Nic, realizing Taylor was there, said "Taylor, dear, I think it'd be best if you went to bed early tonight. Your mom and I need to talk and it's.. um... important."
Now seeing that she was busted, Taylor walked over to the front hall, where Nic and Annelisse were having their conversation. "What's going on?"
"It's nothing that you need to worry about," Nic said, "Just stuff that concerns some of our.. uh.. friends."
"No it's not. You're hesitating."
"Taylor, sweetie," It was her mother's turn to speak, "Nic's right. We need to talk and it'd be best if you went upstairs, ok?"
Taylor sighed, "Whatever. Good seeing you too, Nic."
She trailed off upstairs as slowly as she could. She stopped in front of her door and listened in, right above Annelisse and Nic in the overhang. Now Annelisse was raising her voice a little, saying how she left some place a long time ago and how she wasn't going back, no matter how much they wanted her to. Well, this sounds like we're moving again, Taylor thought, just wonderful.
She walked into her room to find that her lights were off, her pitch black room only being lit by dim Christmas lights she used as a decoration all year round. She turned to shut the door behind her, now hearing Nic raising his voice at whatever they seemed to be arguing about. She placed her hand gingerly on the doorknob, listened for it to shut, and then heard a faint grumble. She looked up from the knob, jumping a foot in the air. Then came the rustling, like something was moving in her room. She was breathing faster, heavier. Slowly she turned around, making the rustlings seem to get louder. She crept closer to her table lamp, and the second she turned it on, she saw the figure in the chair in the corner of her room, making her scream.
The figure was a young man who looked to be about her age. Ruffled blonde hair fell over his bright green eyes, a yawn passing over his tired face. He crossed his muscular arms across his thin chest, "Well, I've gotten surprised reactions from girls before, but none like this."
Taylor grabbed the closest thing to her, which happened to be a hardback novel on her bed, "Who are you? Does my mom know you're here? How did you get in??"
He stood up and sighed, "I'm a Seeker. No, your mother doesn't know I'm here. And you don't need to know that."
"What are Seekers? And what do you want from me?" She demanded.
He spoke coolly, as if he was having a conversation with an old friend, "I'd be happy to tell you but I'd like to feel less threatened if I do." He motioned towards the book, "Just calm down, ok? It's not like I'm here to hurt you." Hesitantly, Taylor followed his directions. He smiled a bit, "There you go. Now have a seat, there's a lot you need to know."
She leaned up against her bedroom wall and sat down, just as the mysterious boy said to. He followed suit, sitting down across from her. "Now," he began, "I don't believe we've met properly. My name is Jace. Jace Starborn. I am a Seeker. And there are others like me who need your help."
"What are Seekers?"
"Demon hunters of the Second Dimension."
"Care to explain that?"
"Explain what? There's nothing to explain."
"The Second Dimension thing. Since when are there more than one?"
"Oh, that. Sorry, I forgot your people don't know. There are several Dimensions. You, my dear, are living in the First. I live in the Second."
"What's the difference?"
"The Second Dimension has only one difference from the first, and that's the Creatures of the Shadows."
Taylor laughed, "Ok, you don't mean those things that go bump in the night, right? Like werewolves and fairies and vampires and ghosts?"
"Actually, yes, I mean just those things," Jace said, matter-of-factly, "But ghosts are demons, fallen angels, if you will. They are hidden in the Shadows of the First Dimension, but only people with the Sight can see them. You, Taylor Fairchild, have this Sight."
Taylor stared at him. "How do you know my name?"
He turned to look at the clock on Taylor's wall and swore under his breath. "All of your questions and more will be answered in Morosa. Come now, Fairchild, time is of the essence," He said, getting up.
"Wait," she said, getting up as well, "Where?"
"The Second Dimension. You must come with me."
"I can't!" Taylor protested, "I don't even know what you're talking about!"
"You'll get more answers than what I can give you in Morosa."
"I'm not going."
"You don't understand--"
"Oh, I believe I do understand," Taylor interrupted, "You're trying to kidnap me."
Jace shook his head as if in disgust, but spoke patiently, "That's not it at all, but if kidnapping is needed, I was given instruction to take you by whatever means necessary."
"I don't want to hear it anymore!" Taylor shouted, backing away, "Get out of my house!"
"Fine," Jace grimaced, "Just know this, Fairchild. You are needed more than you know." He placed his hand on her shoulder, quickly removing it.
With that touch, she seemed to get woozy, suddenly tired. She rubbed her eyes.
Jace leaned in close to her. He spoke softly, but audibly enough to hear, "I will be back. Don't forget about what I said."
Taylor barely heard the end of his sentence. By then, she was asleep.
The next thing she remembered was the next morning. She woke up in her bed, in pajamas. She rubbed her eyes and looked outside her window - it was morning. It was as if her meeting with Jace was all a dream, like it never happened, but it had. She remembered it, as clearly as the sky outside, and she never remembered her dreams. It seemed too real...but, was it?